In New Mexico and elsewhere, the often stark facades of the International Style, frequently rendered in white, black and neutral colors, were expressed in a variety of materials and textures. The purist International Style of planar forms also yielded to circular and curved shapes in the 1950s and 60s. A wealth of mid-century modern architecture is found in southern New Mexico, which boomed with oil fields expansion in that era.
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Allen Theater
Northwest Region: Farmington
Constructed 1924. The Allen Theater was built on the site of the former Allen Opera House that was destroyed by fire in 1922. The first talkies were played at the Allen Theater in 1937 and the first concession stand was installed in 1947. The two story building was a cream Read more…
Artesia Residential Historic District
Southeast Region: Artesia
Constructed 1904. With mature trees shading many of its streets, a public park improved by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and its early and mid-twentieth century building stock, Artesia’s historic residential district retains its original gracious character and integrity. Architecturally Artesia was influenced by the proximity of the railroad as Read more…
Cavern Theater
Southeast Region: Carlsbad
Constructed 1951. The Cavern Theater was built in 1951 in downtown Carlsbad, New Mexico at 210 North Canyon Street, just one block north of the Eddy County courthouse square and in the heart of the downtown commercial district. The theater was designed in the International Style, a form of modernism Read more…
Fiesta Drive-In
Southeast Region: Carlsbad
Constructed 1948. The Fiesta Drive-In originally opened in 1948 with a single screen. The massive original screen tower had a mural of a Mexican man and woman dancing and was animated with neon lighting. Above them was the theater’s name in streamlined style lettering. The Fiesta Drive-In closed in 1970 Read more…
Gila Theater
Southwest Region: Silver City
Constructed 1950. A fantastic example of a small town movie palace. The 1950 Gila Theatre was the first movie house in the area to feature a built-in candy concession, it sports a combination of standard auditorium layout which rises around the entrances at the rear to a stadium-style arrangement. The Read more…
Hiland Theater
Central Region: Albuquerque
Constructed 1950. The Highland Theater was opened on April 20, 1950. Seating inside was provided for 1,188 patrons on a stadium plan, with a raised step section at the rear. The Highland closed as a movie theater in 1995, became a performing arts venue for about a decade and was Read more…
Land of the Sun
Southeast Region: Artesia
Constructed 1947. In 1947, a first-class, state-of-the-art movie theater, Land of the Sun, opened in Artesia. It was operated by the Gilchrist family until 1975. Eventually it came into ownership by Carmike Cinemas, and by the late 1990s, the theater had become rundown, inside and out. Artesia MainStreet and Carmike Read more…
Lea Theater
Southeast Region: Lovington
Constructed 1948. The Lea Theater was built in 1948 in Lovington as the post-WWII economy and local oil discoveries launched a boom in Lea County. Situated across the street from the impressive Lea County Courthouse, The Lea Theater is an excellent example of the mid-century modern International Style that was Read more…
Lobo Theater
Central Region: Albuquerque
Constructed 1938. Now a church, the Lobo Theater opened on August 19, 1938. The Lobo was a popular movie house for the nearby UNM campus student body and a premier venue for independent, classic and cult films. The Lobo hosted popular Oscar award night telecasts through the 1980s and 1990s, Read more…
Mesa Theater
East Region: Clovis
Constructed 1925. The Mesa Theater opened in 1925 with seating for 980 patrons. A major fire in 1948 gutted the interior but the Mesa was rebuilt. Operator E.R Hardwick said that everything would be replaced new including the four (segregated) rest rooms. After closing in the 1960s, the Mesa was Read more…